Microwave 4 BS P-III Institute of Phsics

Qualitative demonstration of guiding

of microwaves along a metal
waveguide
Objects of the experiments
Demonstrating the almost loss-free guiding of microwaves along a metal waveguide.
Demonstrating the “bent” guiding of microwaves along a bent metal waveguide to an arbitrary place.

Principles
Even strong beamed microwave fields diverge in the trans-
verse direction when propagating in free space so that the field
strength decreases with increasing distance in the direction of
propagation. This disadvantage can be circumvented if the
microwaves are guided, e. g., by a waveguide.
The waveguide is completely divided from the surrounding
space by conductive walls and may have, e. g., a circular cross
section. Inside the waveguide, electromagnetic waves with all
wavelengths below a limiting wavelength ␭k can be transferred
almost without any losses. If the walls are made of a flexible
material, the waves can even be guided along a “bent path” to
an “arbitrary” place in the room.
Fig. 1 Experimental setup for guiding microwaves through
a flexible metal waveguide

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Microwave 4 BS P-III

Measurments.
Apparatus E-field probe at a distance of approx. 1 m in front of the
antenna:
1 Gunn oscillator
1 large horn antenna without waveguide,
1 stand rod 245 mm, with thread U = _________V
1 Gunn power supply with amplifier with waveguide
1 E-field probe
U=_________V
1 Flexibe metalic wave guide
1 voltmeter, DC, 10 V E-field probe beside the antenna:
1 saddle base without waveguide,
2 BNC cables, 2 m U = _________V
1 pair of cables, 100 cm, black with waveguide

U=_________V
Setup E-field probe at an arbitrary position:
The experimental setup is illustrated in Fig. 1. if the waveguide is arbitrarily deformed
– Attach the Gunn oscillator to the horn antenna with the
U is always greater than ________V
quick connectors (b).
– Align the horn antenna horizontally, screw the 245 mm long
stand rod into the corresponding thread and clamp it in a Evaluation and results
saddle base.
– Connect the Gunn oscillator to the output OUT via a BNC By coparing the transferred microwave power with and without
lead. Connect the E-field probe to the amplifier input and waveguide, what did you inferred?
the voltmeter to the output DC OUT of the Gunn power
What you can do by means of a flexible waveguide?
supply.

– Set up the E-field probe in front of the centre of the horn

antenna.
– Set the modulation frequency with the frequency adjuster
(a) so that the multimeter displays maximum received
signal.

Safety notes
Attention, microwave power! The microwave power re-
leased from the Gunn oscillator is approx. 10−15 mW,
which is not dangerous to the experimenter. However, in
order that students are prepared for handling microwave
systems with higher power, they should practise certain
safety rules.
Never look directly into the transmitting horn antenna.
Before positioning anything in the experimental setup,
always disconnect the Gunn oscillator.

Carrying out the experiment

– Set up the E-field probe in front of the horn antenna at a
distance of approx. 1 m, and measure the received signal
U.
– Hold one end of the flexible waveguide into the horn
antenna at a depth of approx. 1 cm, hold the other end
immediately in front of the E-field probe, and measure the
received signal U.
– Take the E-field probe to a place beside the horn antenna
where the received signal is about U = 0 V.
– Hold the flexible waveguide between the horn antenna and
the E-field probe, and measure U again.
– Deform the waveguide arbitrarily and measure U once
more.

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Measuring example
E-field probe at a distance of approx. 1 m in front of the
antenna:
without waveguide,
U = 0.2 V
with waveguide
U=9V

E-field probe beside the antenna:

without waveguide,
U=0V
with waveguide
U=9V

E-field probe at an arbitrary position:

if the waveguide is arbitrarily deformed
U>6V

Evaluation and results

Guided by a waveguide, the transferred microwave power is
much less dampened than in free space.
By means of a flexible waveguide, microwave power can be
guided to any location.